About Me

My name is Georgia, and I love to write. As an avid gardener, I have spent hours writing about gardening, but in this space, I wanted to turn my attention to trees in particular. I recently added a number of fruit trees to my garden, and I have old oaks in front of my house which have suffered and survived through a range of mishaps. If you want to learn ideas for taking better care of your trees, you have stumbled onto the right blog. Welcome to this space, please explore and share this blog with your friends if they inspire you.

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Trees and Wind: 5 Safe and Sturdy Trees that Can Withstand High Winds

When assessing your current trees or trying to decide which tree might be most suitable for your yard, safety should be one of your priorities. In 2016, due to stormy conditions, high winds brought down trees throughout Australia, damaging property and taking lives. If you live in an area that is known for the ferocity of its storms, you should consider replacing trees that may pose a risk to you and your loved ones in severe weather.

Are Your Current Trees Safe?

If storms have recently brought down trees in your area, it might be a good idea if you assess your own trees and the risk of them coming down in high winds. What should you look out for when evaluating your own trees?

Proximity: Tall trees such as the Eucalyptus tree can shed branches or even fall in high winds, so check the distance between the tree and your house.

Height: Again, this is important as a tall tree can cause major damage to its surroundings if brought down.

Angle: Leaning trees don't fare well in high winds.

Health: Trees with sparse canopies or lots of dead branches may be unhealthy and brittle.

Sturdiness: Cavities in the trunk or branches can weaken trees and cause them to break in high winds.

If you are worried about the trees in your yard, get in touch with a tree removal specialist in your area. They can evaluate your trees and help you decide whether to keep them or not.

In the meantime, you should also consider other options. Here are 5 wind-safe trees for your yard.

Willow Myrtle

This evergreen tree grows up to 5 metres tall with a width of roughly 4 metres, making it a great windbreaker as well as shade provider. It is also native to Australia.

Eastern Redbud

Eastern redbuds grow up to 6 metres in height and are known to be wind resistant. They also provide beautiful pink blossoms in spring, great shade in summer and brilliant yellow leaves in autumn.

Cockspur Coral Tree

These trees grow from 4-9 metres tall and are native to South America with their stunning red blooms serving as the national flower of both Uruguay and Argentina.

Crepe Myrtle

Prized for their vase-like shape and gorgeous blooms, crepe myrtles hail from eastern Asia. They grow up to 8 metres tall and can cope well in windy conditions.

Chinese Jujube

The fruit of the Chinese jujube tree is used by the Chinese to create herbal Chinese medicine and is a great source of vitamin C, providing even more than oranges. These trees grow up to 10 metres high and do not pose a hazard in high winds.

If the trees in your yard are a hazard to your property and the people in it, you should at least consider having them pruned to a more manageable size. However, you should hire a professional to ensure that your tree is not seriously harmed in the process. Even if you are forced to remove a tree, at least you will then have the chance to carefully select a replacement that provides beauty as well as safety.